


Pros and Cons

by Myliltrinket



Category: Critical Role (Web Series)
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-05-12
Updated: 2016-05-12
Packaged: 2018-06-07 23:23:49
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,853
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6829597
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Myliltrinket/pseuds/Myliltrinket
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>There are pros and cons to every battle.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Pros and Cons

**Author's Note:**

> This is one of my first attempts at writing like this. Hope it's okay.

There would always be pros and cons to being someone with ranged attacks. Pro, you were out of the way and hopefully out of range from being attacked. Con, being a sitting duck if whatever you were attacking got too close. Scanlan was in the left corner of the cave, far enough away from being bitten by the dragon, yet close enough to fire off his spells. Percy was in the right corner, Bad News set up and aimed at the beast before him. Vex, ah Vex, she was standing her ground at the mouth of the cave, far enough away yet Percy could still see her. Trinket growling behind her, ready for action if Vex allowed it. There was only a flash of a moment for Percy to take her in, her arrow released from her new bow, flying true until it hit the beast. Though the roar of pain was loud, her smile was all he noticed. 

The dragon was looking rough, hopefully it wouldn’t be standing for much longer. But it wasn’t down yet. And in that moment in which Percy was taking in her smile, he noticed it fade to a look of fear as the dragon moved towards her. His eyes frantically searched for Vax and Grog who had been flanking the beast moments before, seeing them attack the dragon as it moved. The beast didn’t even look bothered by it as it continued to move. 

Percy moved Bad News so he was still trained on the dragon releasing a shot, his gun jamming. “Shit!” he exclaimed, working quickly to fix it and reload. But in that time, the dragon attacked. Vex had taken a lot of damage already, and this new attack on her was a tough one. The beasts giant claw raking across her armor. A loud yell of pain rang out from the ranger as she fell to her knee in pain. 

“VEX! Someone attack! Someone kill that fucking monster!” Percy was desperately trying to will the dragon not to attack again, but he was not so lucky. Neither was Vex. The tail of the beast knocked her to the side, slamming her frail body against the rocky wall. When the tail moved back, Vex hit the ground hard. 

No… 

Trinket moved to her side, but Vex wasn’t moving. 

No…

He heard Vax cry out as he ran at the beast, Percy could already hear the wavering in his voice. But before Vax and what looked like Grog, could reach the beast, it slammed it’s claw down on her unconscious body again. Percy cursed it loudly as his gun was finally fixed. He took a shot, it hit, the beast lurched away from Vex. 

“Get away from her you bastard!” he cried out, his voice hoarse and angry. Another shot hit it, the beast falling a bit, but it was still alive. Percy didn’t have another shot yet, but it didn’t matter, Vax was there by the time the second shot hit. Daggers out in a rage as he sunk them both into the scaly flesh of the dragon. It let out another roar of pain, cursing them in disbelief before it finally fell to the ground, dead. 

Another con to having a ranged attack, it takes longer to run in to help. He had put Bad News away and was running as quickly as he could towards Vex, but she was so far away. “Don’t be dead, don’t be dead, don’t be dead.” it was a mantra he was muttering repeatedly as he moved as quickly as he could. Pike was running towards her as well, all of them were. But Vax got there first, followed by Grog. Both of them were searching for healing potions, but neither of them had one. Trinket was guarding her body, Vax was pulling her into his arms. Keyleth reached her next, Percy thanked the stars, she could heal. But by the look on her face, Percy knew she didn’t have any more magic left, spent in battle. But Pike got there next, her little legs moving faster than Percy thought possible. 

Percy and Scanlan finally reached the group in time to see Pike healing Vex as much as she could. Percy pushed past Keyleth and Grog, kneeling down next to her body as he hoped and prayed to whatever god would hear him. Pike was concentrating hard and there was a moment of sheer panic as they all watched on in fear. Scanlan’s usual jovial face, fallen and cracked. Grog was nervously fidgeting, while Keyleth was crying as she placed a hand on Vax’s shoulder. Vax had a stream of silent tears running down his cheeks as he just watched his sister, waiting for her to make a movement. Percy was waiting for her to take a gasp, to make a joke, to ask if they won. The moment passed, it felt like an eternity before he heard it, that gasp for air. The entire group let out a breath they had all collectively been holding.  
“What happened? Did we do it?” she asked, looking around at the group. 

“You’ve got to stop doing that, Stubby.” Vax said, the humor to the nickname muddled with the genuine sadness that he had previously held. Pike smiled down at Vex, “You’re alright now, we won.” Vex met her smile with one of her own this time, “Then what are you all doing standing around here? We have a buttload of loot to get.” Typical Vex. 

The others moved away to loot the dragon, Keyleth moving to get whatever she could off of the dragon, the task gory and difficult. Vex sat up but was still too weak to really move. Percy and Vax were both still at her side, Trinket not too far away after he licked her face a couple of times. Vax helped her sit up and steady herself against the wall behind her. “Are you sure you’re alright?” he asked, receiving a roll of the eyes and a shove, “I’m fine, now go find me shiny things. Preferably things that wont talk to me or curse me.” it was a flat joke, but he smiled anyway before eyeing Percy who had yet to move. 

Percy knew he should probably be helping with the treasure, but he wasn’t moving, and after a moment, Vax left them alone. His hands fumbled for the healing potion he was prepared to give to her, and finally presenting it to her, “Here, take this.” She did, downing it and making a disgusted face, the taste was never truly acquired. “Better?” he asked, she nodded, “Better.” He let out another breath, relief flooding his body. 

Her eyes remained on him, trying to read something he wasn’t aware he was showing. His guard had fallen in the moments of her body hitting the ground. His mind returning to the tomb where he had caused her to fall last time, only this time she hadn’t truly died. She had come too close for comfort though, and he was just relieved she was breathing. His mind snapped back to the present as he felt her hand find his, “I’m alright, Darling.” Her eyes were searching for his, and he finally gave in, catching the gaze with his own. He nodded, accepting her statement, but refusing to move away. 

“Are you?” her next question confused him, but only briefly, before he nodded, “I am now.” A moment passed in silence, “Vex..” he began but he stopped himself. He had come too close to speaking without thinking, he didn’t do that. He had to make sure his words were carefully constructed, he had to make sure his statement was clear and understood. He had to make sure he didn’t say anything that may ruin things. She waited for him to continue, waiting for him to find the words. “I have lost a lot of people in my life, and I…I can’t lose anyone else.” he finally said, his words soft but concise. 

For the warmth of the statement, he delivered it as if it was simple factual and pragmatic. His eyes fell to the ground, his head bowing unable to remain eye contact with her. But he felt her lips on his cheek, which was slowly turning pink, the heat flushing his face at the contact. His eyes darted up to her for an explanation. “I’m still here, Percival.” her words were comforting and he felt himself relax a bit. “Still here.” she repeated, a warm smile stretching on her lips as she squeezed his hand gently. 

Everything about her was warm, her eyes, her smile, her touch, her approach. He was so icy and cold, always feeling like an outsider to everyone. But with that smile, and that look, he felt warm, he felt included, he felt connected. “Please continue to stick around, I don’t think I could face…” he trailed off again, desperately needing to put his filter back up. “Face what, Dear?” she prodded, and he knew she wouldn’t stop until she got an answer. So with the shake of his head he relented, 

“I don’t think I could face this world without you in it.” 

Her expression changed as he’d expected, but instead of the confused and appalled look he was ready to face, she looked surprised. However, her smile was still there, brightening by the second, “Percival Fredrickstein Von Musel Klossowski De Rolo III, what a line.” she teased. Percy let out a surprised laugh before relenting to the teasing. “Well it’s true.” he added, ready for more of her teasing, but he looked up to see her in thought, examining his face once more. He was unsure of what she was looking for, but his mind quit trying to figure it out as she leaned in. Her lips pressing against his softly. 

She had kissed him before, as a thank you to arrows and in attempt to soothe his worries, but this was different. It was warm, caring, and something he couldn’t quite place. After the moment of surprise and awe, he returned the kiss, a hand cupping her cheek before they parted once more. He scanned her face, trying to decipher her reaction, smiling more as she gave him an award winning smirk, “I think we can arrange something where you wont have to face anything without me.” she assured him, standing up. It took her a moment to regain her composure as Percy joined her, hand still held as he supported her. She was still pretty badly injured and he was afraid to let go of her, afraid she’d fall. “I would like that.” he said, still trying to decipher what just happened. “But for now, I see piles of gold in which we need to bag.” she said, shooting him a wink as she headed to the hoard of gold, limping as she pulled him along with her. 

He knew they couldn’t make promises of living through any of this, but for the time being, they were in the world together. That was good enough for him.


End file.
